Wake Forest Department of Anthropology | Department of Anthropology %

The Wake Forest University Department of Anthropology promotes understanding and appreciation of human cultural and biological diversity. Through academic courses, scholarly and applied research, and public service, the Department of Anthropology provides the Wake Forest community with the tools and knowledge necessary for global citizenship. Composed of scholars representing all sub-fields of anthropology, the Department of Anthropology serves as the premier academic and practical resource for multicultural awareness and education in the University and Winston-Salem communities, enhancing the University’s commitment to Pro Humanitate.

Andrew Gurstelle, director of the Wake Forest Lam Museum of Anthropology, talks about artifacts from the Tong Dynasty in history professor Dan Du's Chinese History class. The artifacts were donated by a Wake Forest alumnus.

Spring 2026 Course Schedule

The 4 subfields of Anthropology are depicted. This picture links to information about the Anthropology Major at WFU.

Major/Minor

Wake Forest anthropology professor Sherri Clark chats with student, a former student.

Meet the Faculty

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the Department of Anthropology stands on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Keyauwee, Tutelo, Saponi, and other Indigenous peoples whose names have been lost, but who stewarded this land for generations. We honor and respect the diverse Native communities who came here to camp, hunt, and trade for centuries including the Saura, Catawba, Cherokee, and Lumbee. We acknowledge the history of violence and displacement from this land, and we honor the vibrant Native communities who make their home here today. Please join us in recognizing the Indigenous people of this land, past and present.